


Customers

by Theemogeneration



Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman - All Media Types, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (2012-2013)
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Attempted Sexual Assault, F/M, Feel free to comment, Kidnapping, One Shot, Scarecrow's Fear Toxin (DCU), black coffee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 09:58:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16910805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theemogeneration/pseuds/Theemogeneration
Summary: Hannah has one bad day





	Customers

She knew he would come just like all of the rest, he would come. The ginger blond woman stood behind the counter with her tired smile and sighed, he would come, the one with the bandana, he'd buy a black coffee and the pack of the cheapest cigarettes. Every two weeks like clockwork, he'd bring his own container and buy gasoline, Hanna was curious what he did with it, since he didn't have a car to speak of, but never asked.

Maybe he just consistently ran out of gas and liked the walk

Hanna despite not knowing the reason, knew he would come, just as the housewife would run in a three in the morning looking ashamed as she bought two bottles of vodka, or just as the short mexican in the wife beater, working the dead shift, would buy a snickers bar and a five hour energy would come in at two.

Sometimes there were people traveling buying gas, or the homeless person every now or then she would let wash up in the bathroom and dump out the donation into their bare wallets, tins, or pockets. But besides them, there was a consistency. 

Hanna counted her customers like sheep, though she only did it so she wouldn't fall asleep, he was her favorite though, the way he blew on his hands which were covered in gloves with out fingertips or the bandana he used to cover his lower face to protect it from the cold. To the mundane woman, he felt alive with bright eyes and a odd walk, he never spoke though.

Not to her anyhow, to himself though, sometimes, just small things, muttering about the prices or the air conditioning. When he did get gas he muttered it once, and even if Hanna had heard him she'd ask him to repeat it and then he would hold up the money and then two fingers, looking at her with those dark knowing eyes, then the grey eyed girl would wait for him to get to the pump before she'd turn it on.

And tonight was no different, a few travel people came in and bought snacks and gas, the regulars came and left as usual. She was sorting the register when the bell rang and she popped up to see him walk in. Odd how she found such an interest in this stranger. His dirty blond almost brown hair crashed around him and the customer didn't look at her as he began to make his cup of coffee. though hanna doubted he hadn't felt her gaze.Hanna immediately tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and turned around to get out the cheap cigs with the green and purple coupon that her boss had started up for more purchases. 

She jumped slightly seeing that he had been standing at the counter already waiting for her. "Hi." she whispered setting the smokes and the coupon on top of the counter, his intense brown eyes popped up as he raised his brows and she typed up his order.

The man held up the coupon with his fingers eyeing the odd colors with almost favoring likeness as he did Hanna noticed the tips of his fingers were calloused and underneath the strangers nails there was a bit of white paint. maybe he was an artist, yeah, part of her felt like a teenager with a crush borderline stalking this man she barely knew by wondering about his job

"it's a coupon, you're supposed to get them yourself, but...i figured i save you the trouble, after you buy a certain amount of smokes you'll get one free, just bring it here so i can hole punch it, if you want to, i didn't know if you wanted to or not, that is why i didn't put a hole in it before..." her cheeks heated at her awkward babbling.

the strangers's stare went over her again, amusingly before he held it out, as always, he did this in silence and she clipped a hole in it the multicolored paper , the money was paid and the bell rang once more.

she blushed and Hannah waited out the rest of her night before handing the keys to jerry, bundling up and heading back out to gotham, the cold air hit her face and she walked hurriedly, what would the alcoholic housewife be doing right now, that dead shift worker, the bundled up man with his coffee and smokes? what would they be doing.

would he be awake? did he live around here? Hanna shook her head continuing to her house so she could curl up and rest. The woman knew she was foolish and idiotic, but it was one of her only sources of entertainment, Once in the shabby home, the girl fed her fish and laid down on her faded green sheets that she had bought especially, just so that she could pretend that she was laying on a bed of mint. Hannah's nights as you could call it, was filled with nightmares. always nightmares

when she awoke in a drench of sweat, her eyes were wide seemingly stuck in a state of shock and the girl shook her head before releasing her throat from her hand, Hannah stood and than showered. Hot water poured over Hanna's body steaming as it hit her warm flesh. it soon turned cold and the blond haired girl dried herself off before enjoying the leftover take away from the fridge. 

The woman smiled at the news, the Wayne company had finally declared bruce dead after four years of disappearing, which was sad, though on the other side of the news world, a couple of people had been found wandering the streets of gotham seeming to have lost their mind, homeless mainly but it was only the weird part that they all died by self mutilation.

That had dropped Hanna's smile and she swallowed shakily as her phone rang. "hello, hanna speaking." the voice on the other end was familiar and made the woman sigh. "it's jerry, samantha's called in, i was wondering how'd you feel about a double shift." the woman already stood nodding her head.

"yeah, a double shift would be great. " the blond woman whispered softly into the phone as she slipped off her night clothes and put on the work shirt her heart was tired and the woman yawned softly feeling her tired state already sinking in. "Okay get here in an hour won't you?" the man stated before hanging up the line with a harsh clank on the other end

"of course, did you hear that nemo, i have to work again." the fish swam in a circle as a response, he was good company. It took her less than fifteen minutes to get ready, though in all honesty, it took her more time to find her shoes then it did to do anything else.The woman dryed her straw golden red hair and made tea, after discovering that she had ran out of coffee.

When Hanna left it was mid afternoon and the woman was exhausted and happy that tomorrow was her day off. she then headed off bobbing her head and hating the cold weather, listening to her morning playlist filled with feel good music that she didn't truly feel for. The girl closed her eyes at the front entrance of her dead end job making sure to take in a deep breath as she pushed open the door and felt the eyes of her boss on her.

"You're early." he stated eyeing the woman with a somewhat wanting gaze which made Hanna's skin crawl, he was one of those men who would leave extra drawer money if you put out, which explained why this particular woman was broke. "i didn't want to be late." he shrugged and handed her the key before heading out.

"Keep the goods safe." Hanna rolled her eyes at the idea of people stealing the quarter lollipops or bags of chips, these were his goods. "Yes sir." By then he had walked off and the woman had stepped to her post behind the counter. for awhile she stared at the brown spot on the glass above the lottery tickets before someone clearing their throat made the retail woman look up in surprise.

Blue eyes. that was all she could think as these icy cubes stared at her causing her to sit up and blushed slightly. "Sorry...what is it that you need?" He smiled at her heated cheeks, the shade of her light eyes and blonde hair. she was oddly beautiful "Gas pump two...and one of these...which do you suggest?" the tall dark haired man stated gesturing to the pops.

Hannah felt weak at the knees finding that the gas station stranger had an addicting tone of voice and that the pattern of his words were wonderful paused and put together almost like a melody. as though each meaningful or even meaningless things he could say was a sonnet. It really wasn't fair was it? After this brief reprieve of obsessive thought, Hannah finally answered his question. 

"Cherry or green apple, are they for you or do you have a child that you are giving these to?" the woman asked biting her lip as she typed into the machine, feeling the tall man's gaze bore into her, as she glanced over to him, he shook his head though he kept watch on her.

"Just me, i'll take them both and tell you which i prefer.." his voice faded and Hanna looked up to meet his eyes. as the gas station attendant did this, she noticed that he had been looking at her, not as though he found attraction in her features, but found a puzzle in her, one that he desperately seemed to want to figure out, as though there was anything complicated about her. 

"Well, if you pick either one you will still be agreeing with me on taste, how much do you want on the pump?" he chuckled slightly at her steady composure and steel like eye contact.

"twenty and here is fifty cents for the candy...hope to see you again, hanna." Their hands touched and the girl kept her gaze on him as he left and unlocked the pump when he got to it, before pressing in the number and putting in the money for somewhat safe keeping. He was handsome, taking the double shift might have not been the worst idea, or it might have been exactly that, the worst idea.

The day, like a mother pulling her tantrum throwing child out of the toy store, dragged on slowly after that small breach in the familiar beats of her day. She had stolen two cups of coffee, and still felt like dying, as cute as lollipops had been, and as much as she had needed this money, there was no way that she was not going to regret this tomorrow.

The night came and then the counting began, housewife, dead shift worker, the girl was beginning to wonder if he was going to show, the woman twirled the pen about her fingertips. It was a quarter to three, she didn't think he was going to come about, and with not a soul in sight, the girl was about to step about the counter when he entered, greasy locks and bright eyes.

Hanna moved about the counter into her playing position and sighed she had been about to go and get her desperately needed refill. though seeing him was nice, this shift wasn't putting her in the best mind set. Hanna eyed his hands seeing more paint, this time black and she watched how, his fingers moved, nearly mimicking her when she continued to flip the pen.

His eyes met hers and he had quickly looked down, the fair haired girl imagined that he had blushed. It was when she had smiled at that thought that the pen had suddenly decided to slip and nearly hit the man as it made its way by and slammed into the wall behind him. Hanah blushed and opened her mouth to make an apology.

"I'm so.." She let out a breathy laugh, which broke into a full note filled chuckle before Hannah finally covered her lips, the poor half asleep woman couldn't help but break her professional stature to enjoy this mishap. "Sorry." The man set down the cup and scoffed slightly, before kneeling down to picked up the pen.

His face covering, when he had the object in his hand, went up slightly as though he was smirking and once he was standing straight up, the stranger started up another cup coffee,as though nothing had happened. 

Slowly the woman thought better of just standing there, staring at him like an idiot and went about the counter looking down at her feet, feeling slightly ashamed at her fit of flightful giggles. "Sorry, for laughing and trying to murder you with a pen you stopped me from get-" She was cut off as she was reaching for the pen and instead found herself holding a steaming cup of coffee instead.

"Coffee.." Hanna muttered watching the man place a plastic seal onto his own drink with his own precision, she had no idea how he had known what she needed. "Thanks...But what about my pen?" The man simply shook his head before opening his mouth and speaking to her for the first time 

"It's a trophy doll, an escape from death." He held it up teasingly before his eyes widened with an idea. Her own mimicked his at the clear sounding voice that escaped him dark and rich but well understood.

"You want to see a magic trick?" She tilted her head at him and pouted her lips nodding slowly. Her mind had went to his voice and its hoarseness, he must have not spoken much in order to get his voice so roughed up, it kind of made Hannah feel special, but then again it made her feel sad for the coffee wielding stranger

"Who doesn't love a little illusion in there life?" Jack looked over the short petite blonde woman, in her worn out workers clothes and faded jeans on her feet, she wore green tennis shoes. No, he couldn't kill her just yet, not wearing his favorite color, not with the coupon she gave to him so kindly, not yet.

So he did a trick pulling it out of thin air and from behind her ear, she smiled slightly eyes alight as she bit her lip. Hannah looked oh so entranced by this trick, he could easily make her eyes dim by using this pen to poke a hole into her pale neck. but instead he took a bow and the woman gave him a small round of applause.

"That's a good trick, do you do parties?" Under the itchy face covering he licked his scars and chuckled causing red to cover the woman's cheeks. Once again the man purchased the cigarettes and the coffee though she gave him the employee discount. 

Then Jack headed home, he still had things to take care of and he got the itch to play, in his pocket he felt the familiar knife and the man knew he wouldn't be able to go home until he had found another victim.

Hanna had enjoyed the almost bitter coffee softly taking it in until her next shift arrived, each slow sip she just thought of the man who had made it. The covered man had been kind and funny, she almost regretted the fact that she wouldn't see him tonight. 

In fact over those next few weeks she only saw the blue eyes man, though it was only during her morning double shifts and Hanna found herself getting an odd feel from him, because it was every morning double shit that the stranger came, he hadn't ever been to the station before that first bittersweet meeting. funny enough though her distrust came from his reappearance, it increase as he had given her his number attached to a cherry lollipop.

His name was Jonathan crane, but even though she had no love life to speak of, and Hannah couldn't help,but want to hear him talk. She didn't know if she should call or not. Immediate attraction or a man of his level of education or pretense of gaining interest in a girl like her, it was almost never good news and it almost always ended badly.

Heart break at this point was the least of her worries. 

It was the night shift now and the regulars came in, all of them. Hanna put on a bright smile at the sight of the covered man though he seemed thinner than he last looked and though had waved seemed distantly to himself and now was in the middle of looking at their chip selection, perhaps trying to make up for the lost weight.

The thought crossed her mind that he may not have been doing well, and that perhaps she could have asked him if he needed help, when the bell rang.She glanced over at the door front and Hannah's breath caught in her throat, before sinking into her stomach. 

She pressed the emergency silent alarm button at the sight of the masked men with guns entering in. Coffee man was hidden from where they stood, so the woman tried not to worry too much about him. after all they were to busy gazing over her. 

"anyone else here little lady?" The leader asked and blanching a sickly color Hannah shook her head, hoping the man had found cover and wouldn't be noticed by the robbers as well as hoping for her own safety.

"No it's just me..i don't suppose you're here for the twenty four hour service?" Hannah muttered halfheartedly trying to swallow down her fear with badly timed sarcasm.

One of them let out an exhausted scoff before shaking his head and tossing a backpack onto the counter "fill up the bag and don't make any more jokes you got that bitch.."

The woman nodded letting out her breath before she opened up the register and emptied out its contents. she was about to hand it back when the man grabbed her arm roughly causing her brow to twitch upward in annoyance and panic. "Aye boys, remember that bonus i promised you, this is it." The blond girl fought against him as he pulled her roughly over the counter by her arm and a fist of her hair.

As she was being torn away from the safety of the desk, her eyes caught her customers brown gems, with a tear blurred gaze Hanna shook her head as if to tell him not to try and help. Despite the amount of ice filling her veins, she didn't want anyone dying for her. Roughly the muscled masked man slammed Hannah's back against the counter so her legs were out towards them and her arms were flailing outward towards the register

the woman nearly laughed as her fingertips brushed the emergency bat, the swinging one, not the flying creature that would later on this month appear to restore gotham.

The leader had been busy at that moment working at her belt, so his grip was loose and Hanna used that to rip free from him, kicking his chest as she grab the bat, and swung with a small animistic screech. There was a crack as wood met his thick skull. Suddenly there was a barrel at her head as the body fell.

Her heart raced and mind slowed, she was going to die, any moment now the man would pull the trigger, facing up to that she glared at the would be killer and clenched her jaw. Suddenly in a split moment Jack moved quickly and raced at the attacker from her right who held the gun, pushing him into the other one. The three stumbled and he was on the one who had pointed the weapon at her as Hanna struck the other's knee cap out of instinct.

In a reflex the gun wielding attacker pulled off Jack's mask and screamed at the sight just before his head met the concrete, over and over again.

The blond worker was shaking and Jack kicked the chubby man she had not knocked out in the face and now he wailed in polite silence as the kind strange savior looked over at Hannah.

The bat had fell from her grip and her eyes met his. Jack expected a number of things from the ginger blond gas station attendant, for her to attack him, scream, wince in disgust but instead the small woman raced over to him and wrapped her arms about the murderous madman. "Thank you...thank you thank you..."

He stiffened at her touch and nodded oddly as he patted her back, though he found himself somewhat enjoying Hannah's arms about him, the small chant of thanks she poured into his ear, with shaky breaths. It was a small moment before Hannah pulled back, wiped her eyes and looked over him with a small smile on her face, as though he was her hero.

having put herself together for the most part, Hannah spoke again "The police are coming, you don't have to be here, you can go if you want.." The girl stated shakily her eyes moving over him, before Jack could answer, with a small smile before she went to the back of the store and handed him a family size bag of funions. "You want some cigarettes to-" Hannah was cut off by the handsomely scarred man placing his covering, which had fell, onto a bleeding part of her head.

"cigarettes would be good, and a knife." Hannah nodded blushing as sirens in the distance met her ears. The stranger looked down eyeing her oddly as she pressed her hand on his and stepped back to grab the things he needed. It had been so long since a person looked at him in a normal way, but here she was, even before this night, watching and seeing Jack like he was normal and not a freak, and even though he knew she was wrong, it felt very nice for this one person to think of him as such.

"Thanks...if you weren't here, i don't even want to think about it....thank you seriously..um, I'm Hannah by the way." The grey eyed woman stated oddly as she shook her head and gave him the small bag. Jack glanced down at her name tag and smiled. He had known her name since the first night he had came here, but since it was her first robbery, The man would blame shock instead of putting the fault to her.

"I'm jack...don't mention it, seriously i think it's a crime that i'm leaving the scene right now." Hannah let out a breath of a laugh before giving his hand a squeeze, trying not to cry as she handed him the bag of merchandise. "Don't worry i won't, thanks jack..see you tomorrow maybe?" the man nodded his head and turned about quickly fleeing the scene and leaving the shaky woman to herself.

His hands tingle at the spot where she had touched, ears rang with the way she had said his name and his neck burned where her sobbing breath had made its home at. Hanna sighed and waited outside the store, keeping bat in hand in case the men woke up. Thankfully they didn't and were dragged off to the back of the police vehicle by a slightly overweight officer and his parnter.

"Mam are you okay?" she blinked and looked up at two men, one with familiar blue eyes and the one addressing her in uniform, Hanah nodded and sighed. "Yeah i'm fine, i didn't kill any of them did i?" The officer shook his head smiling down at her somewhat proudly and with interest. 

"No, no, they'll be fine, did any of them-""No, they didn't, i'm fine, and no i didn't see any vehicle that they could have came in, it probably parked around back, can one of your men lock up the store, i've had a double shift and i have to work in the morning and clean that up, unless one of your officers would like to do that, i'd like to go now."

She was tired, so though the woman gave them an apologetic look in place for her attitude, the girl's voice was cold. "No worries mam, we've called your boss, he's on his way and will close up. You've been through a lot, Doctor crane was on his way from arkham, he'll look over you and than you can go home." Hanna smiled at that news and hoped her boss wouldn't be p.o over the mess

"Hello Doctor." The man left and there she was looking up at blue eyes. He smiled softly causing dimples to appear on either side of his lips as he gazed professionally down at her. "Hello Hannah, follow the light for me please." The girl did and sighed as the light blocked her vision.

"So, you took down three men, by yourself?" The light went away and she blinked taking in a sigh as she nodded. "The bat helped." She shrugged smiling slightly though she just now set it down at her side. "I am sure it did, now could you tell me what happened?" Jonathan asked his semi-deep voice rumbling through the silence in the air that laid thickly between them.

"They came in, it was a little past three i think. I was alone, its the graveyard shift, so besides a few regulars, I didn't really have to many customers, they pointed the gun. I had pushed the button at seeing them and began to empty the register, after i handed the bag back, the leader grabbed me, and he pulled me over the counter..." The woman paused taking in a breath before continuing with her account of the story.

"As he went for my belt i managed to grab the bat, i hit him over the head and then quickly swung at the other two, one of them i hit in the kneecaps and kicked, the other i slammed into the concrete. "The girl bit her lip. "I know I shouldn't have, but I was scared and they had tried to rape me..I don't want that to happen, I just didn't want that to happen.." again the man tilted his head and nodded almost as though he had heard that unsaid last word.

"No one is blaming you for this, you did the right thing those men would have gone on to hurt a lot more people if you hadn't stopped them. though, you have a minor concussion and you need rest, you'll be alright.. but i'll drive you home okay? I want to make sure you get home safe" Hanna nodded thinking of jack, he had made her safe.

"thank you doctor." She murmured half felt as her mind wandered to how he had looked. His handsome face with the horrible scars, they had jutted out like a horrid smirk, marring his clear tan features, they had hurt her just to look at and her heart ached for him. Jack had a strong jaw and wonderfully dark eyes that came with a serious gaze.

Hannah thought of what she would say the next time she saw him, or if they would be friends after this. The small lonesome woman could imagine them being friends, or more, hanging out, playing video games, and visiting coffee shops. Hanna could imagine them kissing, how Jack's scars felt on her cheek, against her tongue, or thigh.

She could imagine him showing her his works of art, perhaps painting her himself and wrapping his warm arm about her while they walked home together whispering sweet things to each other as though nothing else mattered. Hannah was a silly woman though, and Jack probably saw her as weak and useless, so Hannah could also imagine herself never seeing the scarred man again.

The woman would be alright with that though, she would have been almost alright with anything. Except for what was going to happen to her, there was no way that she would have wanted this or been alright as fate unfolded the following moments that came to be her reality. Hanna's mind was everywhere but on the man before her, she shivered as the doctor touched her shoulder kindly.

"Come on let's go." the man let her settle down in his passenger seat before shutting the door. The blond woman hadn't noticed that she had been walking, Jonathan smiling down at her like she was a prize, or the scarred man looking at her from the shadows making sure she was alright.

"I'm sorry that I didn't call, i was going to, I just...don't trust people that well." The girl stated suddenly as he started the car. "Don't worry about it, but know that you can trust me okay.." his addicting tone rang in her ears once more and she squeezed his hand smiling strangely as the first tear came out, in her other hand she had a bloodied up bandanna that smelled of motor oil.

"Okay, I trust you...but only because you're a Doctor, thanks for understanding." The dark haired smiled pulling out a small needle from his pocket as she went to release his soft hand. "Now, Hannah can you tell me what are you afraid of?" The real police arrived minutes later to an empty crime scene with no footage or witnesses of what had happened.

Jack had left by then having not seen the grey eyed girl be injected and thinking she would have got home without harm, the scarred man didn't notice until the next time he went to her graveyard shift, that she was gone. Hannah was found four days later, wondering the streets with a bloodied bandana, looking like hell, and muttering about cigarettes and lollipops.

She had no one to miss her, but a fish that would starve to death before they cleared out her apartment and a scarred man who had enjoyed her smiles and would lose his mind sometime later due to not having a single tether to this world

For hannah, it had just been one bad day.


End file.
